U.S. patent number 7,195,092 [Application Number 10/708,377] was granted by the patent office on 2007-03-27 for occupant restraint system incorporating rotatable seat back.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to Clifford C. Chou, Shane A. Goodhall, Brian Robert Spahn, Fubang Wu.
United States Patent |
7,195,092 |
Wu , et al. |
March 27, 2007 |
Occupant restraint system incorporating rotatable seat back
Abstract
An occupant restraint system (11) for an automotive vehicle (10)
includes a rollover sensor (30) that generates a rollover signal. A
seat (12) having a seat base (16) rotatably coupled to a seat back
(18) may be included in the occupant restraint system (11). A
controller (26) is coupled to the rollover sensor (30) and seat
base (16). The controller (26) controls the seat back (18) to move
relative to the seat base in response to the rollover signal. The
rollover control module (26) may also control the operation of an
inflatable seat belt (36) to maintain the occupant's position
relative to the seat back (18).
Inventors: |
Wu; Fubang (Rochester Hills,
MI), Chou; Clifford C. (Farmington Hills, MI), Spahn;
Brian Robert (Plymouth, MI), Goodhall; Shane A.
(Farmington, MI) |
Assignee: |
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
(Dearborn, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
34423486 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/708,377 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050189748 A1 |
Sep 1, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
180/282; 280/733;
297/216.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N
2/42745 (20130101); B60R 21/0132 (20130101); B60N
2/427 (20130101); B60R 21/18 (20130101); B60R
2021/0018 (20130101); B60R 2021/01252 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
21/013 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;180/282,268
;280/735,733,806 ;297/216.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dickson; Paul N.
Assistant Examiner: Wilhelm; Timothy D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: MacKenzie; Frank A. Artz &
Artz, P.C.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. An occupant restraint system for an automotive vehicle
comprising: a rollover sensor generating a rollover signal
corresponding to a rolling movement of the vehicle; a seat having a
seat base and a seat back rotatably coupled to the seat base; a
motor coupled to the seat back; a controller coupled to the
rollover sensor and to the motor, said controller controlling the
motor to move the seat back relative to the seat base in response
to the rollover signal; and a power seat switch providing a first
current to the seat back, said controller generating a second
current higher than the first current to move the seat back
relative to the seat base in response to the rollover signal.
2. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an inflatable
shoulder belt, said controller deploying the inflatable shoulder
belt in response to the rollover signal.
3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the rollover sensor is
coupled to a rollover control module.
4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller comprises
a rollover control module.
5. An occupant restraint system for an automotive vehicle
comprising: a rollover sensor generating a rollover signal
corresponding to a rolling movement of the vehicle; an inflatable
shoulder belt having an airbag; a seat having a seat base and a
seat back rotatably coupled to the seat base; a motor coupled to
the seat back; a controller coupled to the rollover sensor, said
shoulder belt and said motor, said controller controlling the motor
to move the seat back relative to the seat base in response to the
rollover signal, said controller deploying the inflatable shoulder
belt in response to the rollover signal, and with said instant
system further comprising a power seat switch providing a first
current to the motor, said controller generating a second current
higher than the first current to move the seat back relative to the
seat base in response to the rollover signal.
6. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the rollover sensor is
coupled to a rollover control module.
7. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the controller comprises
a rollover control module.
8. A method of restraining an occupant during a rollover event
comprising: generating a rollover signal in response to a rolling
movement of the vehicle; rotating the seat back relative to the
seat base in response to the rollover signal; deploying an
inflatable shoulder belt in response to the rollover signal and
rotating the seat upon activation of a switch with a first current
and wherein rotating the seat back comprises rotating the seat back
with a second current higher than the first current.
9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein rotating the seat back
comprises rotating the seatback in a rearward direction.
10. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein rotating the seatback
comprises controlling a motor coupled to the seat back.
11. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein rotating the seatback
comprises controlling a current of a motor coupled to the seat
back.
12. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein generating a rollover
signal comprises generating a rollover signal at a rollover control
module that is coupled to a rollover sensor.
13. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein deploying an inflatable
shoulder belt is performed simultaneously with rotating.
14. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein deploying an inflatable
shoulder belt comprises urging the occupant against the seat back.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to occupant restraint systems, and
more particularly, to occupant restraint systems suitable for
deployment in a rollover condition.
Rollover countermeasures are becoming increasingly popular in
automotive vehicles. Typically, rollover countermeasures include
side curtain airbags that are deployed to contain the occupant
within the vehicle, to reduce occupant excursion and to mitigate
occupant ejection and reduce contact injuries. Curtain airbags may
reduce the possibility of injury from dynamic contact of the
occupant with the interior. During rollovers, however, the roof is
often crushed which reduce room between the occupant's head and the
roof structure of the vehicle.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an occupant restraint
system that increases the amount of headroom during a rollover
event.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention increases the amount of headroom available
for the vehicle occupant by rotating the seat back relative to the
seat base. By rotating the seat in a rearward manner, the top of
the seat back moves downward and thus the occupant is provided more
room than if the seat remained in an upright position.
In one aspect of the invention, an occupant restraint system for an
automotive vehicle includes a rollover sensor that generates a
rollover signal corresponding to a rolling movement of the vehicle,
a seat having a seat base, and a seat back that is rotatably
coupled to the seat base. A controller is coupled to the rollover
sensor and the seat back to move the seat back in response to the
rollover signal.
An additional feature to the above-mentioned system is that an seat
integrated belt system which could be an inflatable shoulder belt,
four point belt or a regular belt that may be employed to help urge
the occupant into contact with the seat back and thus help move the
occupant rearward along with the seat back.
In another aspect of the invention a method of restraining an
occupant during a rollover event includes generating a rollover
signal in response to a rolling movement of the vehicle. The method
further includes rotating the seat back relative to the seat base
in response to the rollover signal and deploying an inflatable
shoulder belt in response to the rollover signal.
One advantage of the invention is that mechanisms currently found
in automotive vehicles for motorized seat back movement may be
easily modified to provide the rotating function.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become
apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the
preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached
drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side diagrammatic view of an occupant restraint system
formed according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plot of motor speed versus current used to rotate a
seat back according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of an occupant with a seat back in a first
position.
FIG. 4 is a side view of an occupant with a seat back in a second
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following figures the same reference numerals will be used
to illustrate the same components.
The present invention is illustrated with respect to a rotatable
seat back and an inflatable safety belt. Those skilled in the art
will recognize that the system may include one or both of the
inflatable safety belt or the rotating seat back.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an automotive vehicle 10 has an occupant
restraint system 11 and a seat 12 mounted to the automotive vehicle
10 by a seat mount 14. Seat 12 has a seat base 16 and a seat back
18. Seat back 18 is rotatably mounted relative to seat base 16 as
indicated by arrow 20. A motor 22 is used to rotate the seat back
18 relative to seat base 16. In normal operation, a seat switch 24
is operably coupled to the motor 22. A low current control signal
is provided to the motor 22 to move the seat back 18 in either
direction.
A rollover control module 26 is also coupled to motor 22. Rollover
control module 26, as will be further described below, generates a
high current control signal higher than that provided by seat
switch 24 to control the rotation of seat back 18 in the direction
indicated by arrow 20. The rollover control module 26 may also be
coupled to other devices 28 such as a side curtain airbag or a roll
stability control system. The rollover control module 26 is coupled
to a rollover sensor 30. Although a single rollover sensor 30 is
indicated, various sensors may be used to indicate or generate a
rollover signal. The rollover signal is generated when the rollover
sensor 30 senses that the vehicle is in a rolling motion that may
cause the vehicle to roll over. The rollover sensors may include a
yaw rate sensor, a roll rate sensor, a pitch rate sensor, lateral
acceleration sensor, longitudinal acceleration sensor, a vertical
acceleration sensor, a steering angle sensor, a GPS sensor, a
vision system, or the like. Those skilled in the art will recognize
that many ways for determining roll or the potential for rollover
of the vehicle may be performed.
Rollover control module 26 may also be coupled to an inflatable
seat belt 36. Inflatable seat belt 36 may, for example, be an
inflatable shoulder belt. Inflatable seat belt 36 may be actuated
at least in response to a roll signal from the rollover control
module 26.
Rollover control module 26 may be a stand alone module or part of
another safety system or vehicle system module. Rollover control
module 26 may, for example, microprocessor-based programmed to
perform the various functions described below.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a plot of motor speed versus current is
illustrated. Line 40 corresponds to the normal operation through
the seat switch 24 shown in FIG. 1. That is, the normal condition
provides a low current to move the seat back rotationally with
respect to the seat base. Line 42 corresponds to a high current
condition that is used to rapidly decline the seat back. In one
constructed embodiment the seat back was rotated at 15 degrees per
second using the high current illustrated by line 42. This allows
sufficient time to move the occupant's head rearward and downward
relative to the vehicle body to reduce the potential for
injury.
Referring now to FIG. 3, seat 12 with an occupant 44 is
illustrated. Seat 12 has seat back 18 in a normal driving
position.
Referring now to FIG. 4, seat back 18 has been rotated to a second
position so that the top of the seat back 18 is rotated rearward
and downward relative to seat base 16. The motor 22 has thus been
provided a high current to move the seat back to its second
position illustrated in FIG. 4.
In operation, the rollover control module 26 receives an indication
that the vehicle is rolling over from the rollover sensor 30. A
roll control signal is generated in roll control module 26 that is
used to control the motor 22 to rotate the seat back 18 rearwardly
and downward with respect to the seat base 16. Although not
required, the seat base 16 may also be moved in response to the
rollover signal. Applicant has found, however, that for most
situations the seat back 18 may be rotated fast enough and far
enough to reduce the potential for injury to the occupant 44.
In addition, the rollover signal generated by the roll control
module 26 may be used to control the deployment of the inflatable
seat belt 36. Thus, as the seat is rotated rearward 18 the
rotatable seat belt 36 urges the occupant 44 against the seat back
18. This insures the desired position of the occupant upon
rollover.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur
to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the
invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.
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